Three cattle were shot in late September, B.C. RCMP say
RCMP in British Columbia are investigating multiple incidents of cattle poaching.
On the weekend of Sept. 26, police received calls of cattle poaching in Merritt, along Brookmere Road, and in Quesnel and Hixon.
All of these incidents occurred on Crown land.
“I can advise that the cows in Hixon and Merritt were harvested for meat and the one in Quesnel was just shot and left,” Cpl. Brett Urano told CTV news.
It’s unclear if the three incidents are connected.
If those responsible are arrested and found guilty in court, they could face jail time and fines.
Under Section 445.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada, anyone who causes “unnecessary pain, suffering, or injury to an animal or a bird,” could face up to five years in jail, or a combination of a fine of up to $10,000, and two years behind bars.
Officers have collected some evidence.
RCMP officers at the scene in Meritt found “a substantial amount of evidence,” CFJC reported.
Farms.com has contacted B.C. RCMP for details about the investigation, including what kind of evidence recovered, and if affected producers are cooperating with authorities.
Anyone with helpful information about the incidents is asked to contact Cpl. Cory Lepine from the Livestock Investigations Section at 250-828-3128.
This recent string of cattle poaching isn’t B.C.’s first.
In October 2015, poachers shot cattle in North Okanagan on land leased by the Coldstream Ranch.
In two cases, the animal’s hindquarters were taken but the rest of the animal was left. In the third case, the whole animal was left without any meat harvested, iNFOnews.ca reported.